"Anti-Muslim bigotry is a problem, but it is only exacerbated by the media's tendency to exaggerate and sensationalize it," the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto observed Wednesday in looking at the media's focus on the threat, to burn Qur'ans, by one widely condemned Florida pastor with
barely a few dozen followers. On Wednesday night, for the second night
in a row, two of the three broadcast network evening news shows led with
Terry Jones (ABC and CBS on Tuesday, CBS and NBC on Wednesday.)

But what I found amusing is how network journalists decided Sarah
Palin, the Pope - and even Pat Robertson - are now sources of wisdom
worth publicizing. Over aerial video of the Vatican (screen capture
below), Katie Couric teased the CBS Evening News: "Tonight, despite
condemnation from the Vatican and a personal plea from Muslims, that Christian minister in Florida is going ahead with plans to burn copies of the Qur'an."

"This is the news," an excited Diane Sawyer announced on ABC, "not only is Billy Graham's son Franklin trying to reach out to him, so is Sarah Palin."
Terry Moran relayed how "late today, Sarah Palin tweeted her
opposition, writing: 'Please stand down.' And long-time televangelist
Pat Robertson blasted Pastor Jones this morning."

In the second of two reports at the top of the NBC Nightly News, Andrea Mitchell touted how "the Florida pastor even got the Vatican's attention"
and aired a clip of a Vatican spokesman declaring: "This act would only
call for new hate and violence." Mitchell concluded by approvingly
paraphrasing a political figure normally the object of journalistic
scorn: "Sarah Palin has now tweeted that Pastor Jones should please stand down, that people have a right to burn a Qur'an but that it is insensitive and an unnecessary provocation that will feed the fire."

Back to ABC's World News, Terry Moran saw sinister views of Islam
held by Americans, but failed to point out attitudes have held steady
for years and are not spiking:

Still,
Jones vows to go forward, convinced he speaks for many Americans. A
brand new ABC News poll confirms some disturbing facts. 26 percent of
Americans admit to feelings of prejudice against Muslims and only 54
percent of Americans see Islam as a peaceful religion. 31 percent say
mainstream Islam encourages violence against non-Muslims.

In reciting the same numbers online[1],
however, ABC News polling chief Gary Langer added a crucial fact which
undermines the implication that negative views of Islam are growing:

Just 54 percent call Islam a peaceful religion, while a
substantial minority, 31 percent, thinks mainstream Islam encourages
violence against non-Muslims. This view has held steady since 2003, after doubling from 2002.

...Anti-Muslim bigotry is a problem, but it is only
exacerbated by the media's tendency to exaggerate and sensationalize it -
and by the adversarial and snobbish attitude many journalists and some
politicians have adopted toward the vast majority of Americans, who are
not bigoted and who see the Ground Zero mosque as an affront.

The obnoxious pastor and the obnoxious media have a confluence of
interests here. It is no credit to the latter that their behavior has
been no worse than that of the former.

Sawyer set up Moran's September 8 story:

The chorus of voices grew louder today denouncing that
Florida pastor who plans to burn the Qur'an on Saturday, the anniversary
of 9/11. And, as we told you last night, Terry Jones' church has only a
couple of dozen members, but tonight, this is the news: Not only is
Billy Graham's son Franklin trying to reach out to him, so is Sarah
Palin. And, we have a new poll showing what Americans really think and
know about Islam. Here's Terry Moran.

PAT ROBERTSON: Imagine a pastor that is so egotistical that he would
sacrifice the lives of missionaries and soldiers to go forward with
something. This is so stupid.

CBS Evening News, September 8:

After Couric's tease quoted above ("Tonight, despite
condemnation from the Vatican and a personal plea from Muslims, that
Christian minister in Florida is going ahead with plans to burn copies
of the Qur'an"), she related in her opening: "And the Vatican said
quote, "This act would only call for new hate and violence.'"

- Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center. Click here[3] to follow him on Twitter.

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